The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, has stated that the government of President Bola Tinubu is a firm believer in press freedom and has no plans to muzzle the media.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the minister made this argument to State House correspondents on Wednesday, shortly after briefing President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
According to him, even if the federal government has no intention of stifling the press, this should not be used as an excuse for Nigerians to use unpatriotic language online because freedom of the press entails some amount of accountability.
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Iddris said, ‘That is a very delicate line to toe. While the government, Mr President and all of us in that sector are committed to ensuring press freedom. That freedom comes with responsibility…there is no attempt by the government to gag the press.”
Speaking further, about plans by the Nigerian Press Council to register journalists as a way to sanitise the profession, the minister said, “Well, that is being looked into; you know that Mr President believes in press freedom; he believes in the freedom of expression, and he’s not going to gag the press in any way, shape or form.
“He’s going to work assiduously to ensure that the Nigerian press that has been free is even freer. But this freedom also comes with enormous responsibility.
“You can’t just say what is not right because you’re enjoying press freedom. There will be freedom, responsible freedom.”
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